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Statement grade
The average of Signal, Relevance and Clarity is 58. The grade is held to 34, 30 above Relevance. 34 / 100, held down by Relevance
Signal
85 / 100
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Relevance
4 / 100
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Respect
–
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Clarity
85 / 100
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A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.
Procedure 12% Claims 38% The ask 15% Promise 22% Positioning 3% Reasoning 11%
Structure · 22 steps
Claims · 1
This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Chair, Procedure · 12 words if we just stick at it long enough, we will be done. Procedure Vague promise Claims · 21 words There is no plan. There is no plan to bomb a target that is going to make Iran change their mind. The ask · 13 words We have to stand up and say, no, we can’t do those things, Procedure · 7 words and I say all of that again. Procedure Promise · 30 words I want to get us back to a reasonable place where we can have a bipartisan agreement, and I hope in the next couple of months we will get there. Claims · 45 words I really want people to understand how unprecedented this moment is that we are in. The President is taking us down a bitterly partisan and divisive road and pushing policies--I didn’t even talk about the tariffs that he slaps on our allies at a whim. Procedure · 3 words Look at Canada. Procedure Claims · 29 words Apparently, there are fires up in Canada, and the wind is blowing south, so it is Canada’s fault, and we have to slap a 50 percent tariff on them.1 Positioning · 9 words This is the way we govern? It is insane, Positioning The ask · 16 words and we need to rein it in. Vague promise We in Congress need to stand up and say: Promise · 13 words No, we are going to begin to get some of this under control. Off point Vague promise The ask · 14 words At a minimum, let’s have a sensible budget. Let’s stop the war in Iran. Off point Claims · 15 words I can’t support this bill. It profoundly hurts me because I believe in this process. Off point Procedure · 8 words It is the last thing I will say. Procedure Promise · 18 words I will continue to want to work with any reasonable person who shows up in the Trump administration. Reasoning · 39 words I don’t want to shun them because this body has to work. If we don’t pass legislation, then the President has even more power. If the legislative branch shuts down, that simply consolidates more power in the executive branch. The ask · 8 words We have to find a way through this, Vague promise Claims · 23 words but it is not going to be easy. I want to make sure people understand the unprecedented nature of where we are at, Promise · 14 words and we all begin to work together to get ourselves to a better place. Off point Vague promise Mr. Chair, Procedure · 10 words with that, I yield back the balance of my time. Procedure
At a glance
Lost points for Off point ×28 Procedure ×5 Vague promise ×5 Positioning ×2 Off topic Only 4% of this speech directly addressed the bill under debate.
Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.
What the tags mean →
Signal · 85
7 of 40 deductions are Signal
Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “if we just stick at it long enough, we will be done.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “and I say all of that again.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “Look at Canada.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “This is the way we govern?” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Positioning Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it. What the tags mean → “It is insane,” Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “It is the last thing I will say.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Procedure Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business. What the tags mean → “with that, I yield back the balance of my time.” Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Relevance · 4
28 of 40 deductions are Relevance
Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “There is no plan.” Attacks an unnamed plan rather than addressing anything in the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “There is no plan to bomb a target that is going to make Iran change their mind.” Criticizes bombing plans against Iran that are not part of the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “We have to stand up and say, no, we can’t do those things,” A rhetorical call to oppose unspecified actions, not a point about the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and I say all of that again.” Restates prior criticism without connecting to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “I want to get us back to a reasonable place where we can have a bipartisan agreement,” Speaks of hopes for bipartisan agreement generally, not the bill’s contents.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and I hope in the next couple of months we will get there.” A timeline for agreement unrelated to the bill under debate.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “I really want people to understand how unprecedented this moment is that we are in.” General commentary on the political moment, not the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “The President is taking us down a bitterly partisan and divisive road and pushing policies--I didn’t even talk about the tariffs that he slaps on our allies at a whim.” Attacks the President’s partisan policies and tariffs, unrelated to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “Look at Canada.” Pointer to Canada as part of a tariff complaint off the bill’s subject.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “Apparently, there are fires up in Canada,” Canadian fires have no bearing on the defense authorization bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and the wind is blowing south,” Wind direction detail in an off-topic tariff story.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “so it is Canada’s fault,” Sarcasm about blaming Canada, unrelated to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and we have to slap a 50 percent tariff on them.” Tariff criticism, not a matter addressed in the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “This is the way we govern?” Rhetorical question about governing generally, not the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “It is insane,” General condemnation without connection to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and we need to rein it in.” A call to rein in conduct not found in the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “We in Congress need to stand up and say:” A general exhortation to Congress, not a point on the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “No, we are going to begin to get some of this under control.” A vow to get things under control generally, not bill-specific.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “Let’s stop the war in Iran.” A demand to stop the Iran war that the bill does not address.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “It profoundly hurts me because I believe in this process.” Expression of personal feeling about the process, not the bill’s content.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “I will continue to want to work with any reasonable person who shows up in the Trump administration.” Willingness to work with the administration, unrelated to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “I don’t want to shun them because this body has to work.” Comment on the body needing to function, not the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “If we don’t pass legislation, then the President has even more power.” General point about presidential power, not the bill’s provisions.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “If the legislative branch shuts down, that simply consolidates more power in the executive branch.” Concern about executive power consolidation, not the bill under debate.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “We have to find a way through this,” General appeal about finding a way forward, not the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “but it is not going to be easy.” Comment on difficulty ahead, unrelated to the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “I want to make sure people understand the unprecedented nature of where we are at,” Restates the ‘unprecedented moment’ theme, not the bill.
Off point Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate. What the tags mean → “and we all begin to work together to get ourselves to a better place.” Call for working together generally, not the bill.
Respect · no score
Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.
Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.
Clarity · 85
5 of 40 deductions are Clarity
Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.
Vague promise A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible. What the tags mean → “if we just stick at it long enough, we will be done” Commits to an outcome with no actor, measure, or condition for what ‘done’ means.
Vague promise A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible. What the tags mean → “we need to rein it in” No actor, method, or measure is given for what ‘it’ is or how to rein it in.
Vague promise A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible. What the tags mean → “we are going to begin to get some of this under control” No actor, date, measure, or success condition for what ‘under control’ entails.
Vague promise A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible. What the tags mean → “We have to find a way through this” Calls for a path forward with no actor, method, or way to verify it.
Vague promise A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible. What the tags mean → “we all begin to work together to get ourselves to a better place” No actor, date, or measure defines working together or a ‘better place’.
Claims · 1
This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.
1 “a 50 percent tariff on them” The United States has imposed a 50 percent tariff on Canada, which the speaker links to wildfires in Canada. search
